Collapsible tubes are used to package many products for gradual dispensement through the open end as needed by the consumer. These products include toothpaste, hair products, lotion, medicine, glue, artist's paint and caulking. The contents are commonly dispensed from the open end of the collapsible tube by squeezing the closed end. The closed end of the collapsible tube may or may not be rolled up as the contents are dispensed. The rolling procedure, when used, is an attempt to prevent reverse flow of the contents towards the closed end. Metal and plastics are common materials for fabrication of such collapsible tubes. Plastic, in particular, has a tendency to return to its original shape and thus resists such rolling techniques.
One apparatus for collapsible tube content dispensing is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,314 to Elias et al. in which a body has a pair of jaws which are squeezed against the collapsible tube while a slotted key is rotated to pull the empty tube portion through the jaws. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,670 to Kendrick, a U shaped clip cooperates with a blade shaped member to grasp the end of the collapsible tube. U.S. Pat. NO. 4,664,293 to Sheppard employs a mandrel, an actuator and a latch to grasp the collapsible tube end. The actuator has a handle portion against which the user can exert force to cause the tube end to wind around the mandrel.
Other background material is contained in U.S. Pat. No. 955,530 to Morrison, U.S. Pat. No. 1,770,946 to Rostiser, U.S. Pat. No. 1,986,409 to Redmer, U.S. Pat. No. 2,545,773 to Gonzalez, Great Britain Pat. No. 370,204 to Kinds, and Swiss Pat. No. 125,349 to Hediger.